Plane from Venezuela carrying more than a ton of cocaine crashes off Colombia's coast

BOGOTA, Colombia – A small plane from Venezuela with more than a ton of cocaine on board has crashed into the Caribbean while being pursued by Colombia's air force.

Video released by the air force shows how fighter jets intercepted the Hawker 800 aircraft after it entered Colombia's air space Wednesday and ordered it to descend. After the pilot moved to escape, one of the plane's motors apparently failed and the aircraft crashed off the coast of Puerto Colombia.

Colombia's coast guard says the body of the pilot, whose nationality was unknown, was found among the wreckage along with 1.2 metric tons of cocaine.

Venezuela has become a key transit country for narcotics. Much of the cocaine moves north to Central America on a dog-legged path to avoid entering Colombian airspace.